


Not Even an Option

by Finely Honed (jaqen_hgar)



Series: Imagine Tony & Bucky [43]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Bagels, Bucky Isn't Amused, Coffee, Established Relationship, Happy Ending, Humor, M/M, Making Good Choices, Time Travel, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-16
Updated: 2015-06-16
Packaged: 2018-04-04 16:55:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4145469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jaqen_hgar/pseuds/Finely%20Honed
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <span class="small">Prompt: Imagine Bucky gets sent back in time and has the chance to stop himself from ever getting captured by the Nazi's, and therefore stop his entire path to becoming the Winter Soldier. But if he does that he'll also not be able to be with Tony, who he had been planning to propose to in the future.</span>
</p><p>The thing with being an Avenger was that you pretty much had to be prepared for everything to go impossibly wrong, even on a Sunday morning, when you’d decided to go out and grab some coffee and bagels for breakfast.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not Even an Option

The thing with being an Avenger was that you pretty much had to be prepared for everything to go impossibly wrong, even on a Sunday morning, when you’d decided to go out and grab some coffee and bagels for breakfast.

Tony kept an odd sleep schedule, so Bucky knew he had an hour or two before the engineer would make any sort of half hearted attempt at dragging his fantastic ass out of bed. Bucky figured it’d be nice if there was a little breakfast spread waiting for Tony when he woke up.

Bucky liked doing little considerate things for Tony, especially since he was pretty sure no one in Tony’s life had done much of it before he came along. Pepper and Rhodey, sure, they loved him, and tried their best to take care of him, but they didn’t slip notes into his suit pockets for him to find during the day, or make him his favorite meal when they knew he was feeling down in the dumps.

Of course, they also didn’t have some nutjob materialize in front of them, then drag them back through time, so there was that.

“How long is this gonna take?’

The entity cocked an eyebrow at him, perhaps wondering why he wasn’t more impressed to find himself suddenly smack dab in the middle of World War II again.

“Seriously, the bagels are still warm. I was kinda hoping to get back home.”

The entity projected a booming voice into Bucky’s head, rather than speaking, which was just annoying. It made the fillings in his teeth feel like they were vibrating.

**_What stands before you is a chance to undo what has been done, James Buchanan Barnes._ **

Bucky sighed. “So, I’m gettin’ the feeling my bagels are gonna be cold by the time I get home. Great.”

He fished into the bag and took a bite of a pumpernickel bagel, chewing thoughtfully as he surveyed his surroundings. Italy. The 107th. With a sigh, he began exploring, and before too long realized this was before Azzano, before he’d been taken prisoner by HYDRA. Suddenly, the entity’s words seemed less cryptic.

“Wait. What’s going on here?”

**_A great opportunity if you choose to act boldly. Erase the Winter Soldier. Reclaim your identity._ **

An awful, unsettled feeling worked through him, so that the bit of bagel he’d eaten sat heavy in his stomach, and his body vibrated with tension.

“You’re sayin’ this is real? I’m really back in time, and I can stop… stop everything?” The entity nodded, folding his arms across his chest. “But, wait. If… What about the future? Wouldn’t that change things?”

**_The life you know now would cease to exist, as would all the pain and trauma you have suffered. A new, brighter future would unfold._ **

He’d have his arm back. He might see his family again, maybe have a normal life. He’d erase all the atrocities he’d committed as the Winter Soldier. Lives that needn’t be ended, Tony’s parents included, and…

Tony.

They’d never meet, or if they did, he’d be so much older it would be… ew, really gross.

“Nah. I’m good.”

The entity looked at him like he was insane, but Bucky was 100% comfortable with his decision.

He could pretend it was for selfless reasons, like not wanting to risk the chance that HYDRA would have had far more success if Steve hadn’t rescued him, and  seen the locations of their bases as a result. Maybe the entire war would have turned out differently without the Howling Commandos.

And sure, he wouldn’t have all the blood on his hands, the night terrors, the period of crippling depression he suffered before getting back on track, the memory issues, and all around trauma. But maybe someone else would—maybe even Steve. Besides, HYDRA would have found a way to end those lives, even without him.

Really, though, it was the thought of Tony that made his decision for him. Remembering pressing a kiss to his forehead before sneaking out of bed to go get breakfast. Tony had been sprawled on his side, hair an absolute mess, in need of a shave, drooling on the pillow—in other words, he was absolutely, heartbreakingly gorgeous.

He loved Tony more than he ever imagined himself capable of loving anyone or anything. It was like his love for Steve, and his family, only multiplied to the nth degree. He loved the guy so much that he’d spent the last three weeks trying to think of the best possible way to propose to him. It wasn’t that he was worried Tony would say no, it was just that he was a sap, and wanted it to be special.

“We good? Can we head back now?”

**_Uh, are… Really? This has never happened to us before. Are you sure you don’t want to take a little time, and maybe…_ **

“I’ve never been more sure about anything,” Bucky growled. “Now take me back to my future, so I can bring my boyfriend his fuckin’ breakfast, or I’m gonna take that stupid robe you’re wearing and make you eat it.”

The entity was kind enough to drop him off at home, rather than back outside of the deli where he’d been nabbed. Unfortunately, this set off about a thousand alarms, so that Tony came stumbling out of the bedroom wearing only a single Iron Man gauntlet.

“What’s happening?” he asked, looking around frantically.

“JARVIS, you can stop with the intruder alert. We’re good.” Bucky laughed, and set down the food. “Did you bring that to bed with you last night?”

Tony blinked owlishly. “Huh? I guess? Don’t remember. How the hell did you set off the alarms?”

“Oh, some weirdo in a robe grabbed me on the way back home and tried to tempt me into rewriting my own future by preventing myself from being kidnapped by HYDRA.”

Tony’s expression was priceless. He slumped, then shuffled over and accepted the coffee Bucky was offering. “This is a dream, right? Or… did I finally go insane? Pepper always warned me I’d eventually go insane from sleep deprivation.”

Bucky slid an arm around Tony’s waist and pulled him in close, burying his nose in the messy bedhead, and breathing deeply. “Nope. I actually said what I said.”

“Huh. So… not even tempted a little?”

Bucky pulled back enough to see Tony’s face, and then kissed him. “Nope. Scared the bejesus outta him, got a ride home, and now we can eat our breakfast.”

“No wonder I love you.”

Bucky felt warmth and happiness wash over him. He’d absolutely made the right decision, no two ways about it. “Loveable is me.”

Tony fished into the bag, and grinned beatifically. “Hey, the bagels are still warm!”

**Author's Note:**

> Pfffft, no way is Bucky giving up his Tony. How 'bout nope?
> 
> You can find me on tumblr here: [dezinformatsia.tumblr.com/](http://dezinformatsia.tumblr.com/) and all of my Imagine Tony & Bucky fills can be found here: [imaginetonyandbucky.tumblr.com/tagged/dezinformatsia](http://imaginetonyandbucky.tumblr.com/tagged/dezinformatsia)


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